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Psalm 23:5

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 25, 2015

“I will fear no evil for You are with me….”

You, Lord God, are ever present, ever with us. If there is evil threatening, you are there, watching, providing, protecting in whatever way you deem best. If we are living in limbo, uncertain of what is going to happen, when the doors to the future open and we have no idea what is on the other side, we can be sure that you are there, waiting to greet us with the path prepared. As you, Lord, declare in Jeremiah 29:11, “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” In you we can rest.

“Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

Lord, your shepherd’s rod is a club to beat off attackers; it is powerful, effective, more than sufficient to protect us, for you are undefeatable, invincible, all powerful; and you have already won the battle at the cross.

And then there is your staff, the shepherd’s crook used to guide and correct sheep as they stray. You are faithful to warn us when we wander willfully out of the way: you tap us on the shoulder, or you pull us back–you guide us persistently, even when we insist on rebellion. You are absolutely faithful. Praise you for your wisdom, your love, your faithfulness that assure us of your protection and guidance.

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”

As the good Shepherd, you bring us into positive places to graze. On the edges of the pasture may lurk wolves, bears, lions, or the great serpent, Satan. Their presence, however, does not need to disturb us, for you are our protector. No one can defeat you, no one can thwart your purposes. We can ignore the threats of the enemy and quietly, peacefully feed on what you have given, resting in your goodness, greatness and glory.

You are our Shepherd, our Warrior King who has defeated the enemy. As we remain in the shelter of your Word, your way, your wisdom, praising you in and for all, we are safe from true harm. You may lead us through many challenges, but in these you will protect and carry us through as we follow you. Praise be to you for your marvelous gift of being our loving, wise and faithful Shepherd. Glory be to you forever and ever.

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Psalm 23:4

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 24, 2015
 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;”
 
[At least one of the paths of righteousness you will lead me on, Lord, goes through this dark valley. It may be a time of dying to a desire, to my will, to a possession or it may be physical danger and sickness or death. Whatever it is, I do not need to fear that evil will triumph.
 
There may be loss and suffering, but in the end, evil will not win because Jesus is already the Victor and I belong to Him.
Think of Paul in his shipwreck described in Acts 27. In the midst of a great storm there were days of uncertainty where Paul was cold, wet and hungry; and then the crashing of the ship into a sandbar and everyone having to swim to shore. There was evil: the soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners, Paul included, so they couldn’t escape, but that was prevented. Then the viper bit Paul, but God protected him and no harm was done.
 
It was a dark valley, but in it the witness of Paul shone brighter in his faith, in his declaration of God’s sovereignty, in his prediction (all possessions will be lost, all people will be saved), and in his being protected. Without that dark, the light would have not been seen so clearly.
 
As we take refuge in His love, power and truth, God does not always protect us from what will harm us physically, but from what would harm us spiritually. Then we can shine in the darkness of this world as a light house for those seeking Truth.
 
The valley of the shadow of death is not a threat but an opportunity to fulfill the purpose of our lives: honoring the One who walked this road before us and will walk with us through it again. So let us look to Jesus, “who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2).
 
Let us follow the advice of the Word to “throw off everything that hinders [our natural worldview] and the sin that so easily entangles [addiction to comfort, selfishness and security, to name three] and run with perseverance the race marked out for us [some of which will go through the valley of the shadow of death], fixing our eyes on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2a) and we will come out on the other side, in a pleasant place. “He brought me out into a spacious place, he rescued me because he delighted in me” (Ps. 18:19).
 
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More on Psalm 23

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 23, 2015
More on Psalm 23
 
As my Shepherd, Lord Jesus, you lead me beside the still waters—you give me time to be with you, to take in, to gain eternal perspective. You lead but I must both follow and drink, I must choose to spend time in your Word, in worship, in intercession and confession, in pouring out my heart and lifting my soul to you. And I can do this because you are “good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy to all who come to you” (Psalm 86:5).
 
As I choose to drink from your Word and revel in your presence, you will restore my soul: bring refreshment, insight, wisdom, understanding, greater faith and more praise. You restore my soul to more of its pre-fall perspective, making me more like yourself. “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory…” (2 Cor 3:18).
 
You will then lead me in paths of righteousness for your name’s sake—again, I must choose to follow. I can be sure that where you lead me will be righteous and upright, pure and positive and godly and good.
 
If I sense leading which is not one of these, then I can know that this is not you, but the subtle and sneaky call of the world, the flesh and the devil. This I want to reject so I can give you glory in all I do; therefore for the sake of your name, help me to gladly follow your righteous lead, no matter how much self-denial it requires.
 
Praise you, Lord God: you are my King, my Sovereign, my Shepherd, the One to be obeyed and feared, loved and served. Praise you for the wonderful and powerful privilege of being both your sheep and your ambassador in a fallen and faulty world, bringing your light to a deluded and deceived people.
 
Praise you for your Holy Spirit to fill, empower, guide and encourage. I praise you for your care, your protection, your provision, your presence throughout the day. May I be filled with your Spirit; may I be a vessel of grace to all I meet today; may I be a useful instrument in your hand, Lord, obeying you, living worthy of your calling and pleasing you in every way. To you be glory, honor and praise in and through my life today.
 
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Psalm 23 Green Pastures

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 22, 2015
You, Lord Jesus, as my Shepherd, make me to lie down in green pastures—you don’t ask, you make me lie down. You select the pasture I need now and keep me there as long as is needed so I can grow and deepen, mature and develop to become a better instrument in your hand.
Joseph in the OT didn’t particularly want to be a slave, or go to prison, but those were the green pastures you had for him. There he learned to deny self, to live for you and to be a good administrator. This made him fit to save many others, including his family, the Egyptians, and the line of Jesus so the Messiah could be born and eventually save us!
 
When finding ourselves in green pastures that aren’t pleasant (sickness, disappointment, heartache and failure, to name some), we can follow this advice: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you KNOW that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” James 1:2-4.
 
In the hand of our Shepherd, difficulties are directive, problems are providential and heartaches can be healing if we cooperate with Him, lying down in the green pastures He selects.
 
A key aspect here is to embrace what He brings with thanksgiving rather than suffering through with discontent and complaining. To embrace is to receive grace, to complain is to reject it: “God resists the proud [who reveal their pride by complaining] but gives grace to the humble [who accept what He brings]” (James 4:6).
 
So, let’s trust Him to know what is a green pasture for us and join Him in what He’s doing in and through it, in and through us.
 
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What Wonderful Provision!

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 21, 2015
I praise you that as I awoke, you were there, Lord Jesus: my Shepherd, my elder Brother, my King.
 
I praise you that this day I shall not want, for you in your wisdom, your riches, your power have already provided all that I need and much more.
 
As it says in 2 Peter 1:3,4 “His divine power HAS GIVEN US everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” We just need to learn to take it up and use it, such as learning to be filled with the Spirit, to put on the armor of God, to lift our souls to God, to meditate on His Word and to flee temptation.
 
In addition, through his glory and goodness Jesus “has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you MAY PARTICIPATE IN THE DIVINE NATURE and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”
 
Wow! We are able to participate in His divine nature! What a gift, to have the Holy Spirit indwell us, as He did David, Isaiah and Daniel. We are truly different from all other creatures and peoples because, as His born again children, His divine nature dwells in us!
 
Help us, Lord Jesus, to live today in the reality of your provision and personal indwelling. Help us to take up and use all that you have given so we can live godly lives, bringing you honor and shining light and hope to all those around us.
 
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Psalm 10:16-18

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 20, 2015
Psalm 10:16 “The LORD is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land.”
 
[You, the Eternal One, set up and take down rulers and nations, you begin and end all, you will remove the wicked and restore the righteous. Of this we can be certain, because you, O God, are good, forever and ever.]
 
Psalm 10:17 “You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,”
 
[Praise be to you, the God who hears, who listens with complete understanding, who knows our hearts and answers in power, wisdom and with comfort.]
 
Psalm 10:18 “defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.”
 
[Praise you that you defend, you provide, you guide, you protect and encourage. You will move us out from oppression of Satan wields by using our own wickedness and that of others. Your love and care, your protection and deliverance will then bring you glory and praise, honor and exaltation, for you, the King of Salvation are worthy of it!]
 
Help us to live today in the light of your goodness, trusting in the sure hope of your deliverance, whatever our situation might be. You hear our cry and you will answer in the right way at the right time with the right deliverance, whether it be in this life or the next. Help us to trust you fully so that you may use us fully.
 
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Beauty and Wisdom

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 19, 2015

A cold, clear morning with heavy frost on the grass and a rim of ice on the water.  The pond is perfectly placid, reflecting the grasses and cat tails in exactitude. There is beauty all around us.

Praise be to you, Lord, that you are Beauty itself, full of grace and majesty, elegance and kindness, magnificence and forgiveness. You are perfect in your personality, brilliant in your beauty, lovely in your lavishness and grand in your graciousness. You are worthy of all worship, of all honor, of all surrender and obedience.

I praise you that you are the superb discerner of right and wrong: your judgment is fully trustable, while ours is so feeble and faulty, so subjective and selfish. I praise you for revealing to us your way through your Word. Help us to obey what we know to be true, to avoid what we know to be evil and to pursue what we know to be godly.

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Psalm 10:12-15

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 18, 2015
 
Psalm 10:12 “Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless.”
 
[The psalmist now turns to you, Jehovah, the only true help, who will act to intervene. Perhaps you have not acted earlier because no one prayed for your help, even though you prompted them to do so. But now the writer prays and you will answer.]
 
Psalm 10:13 “Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, ‘He won’t call me to account’”?
 
[the answer: he is blind, caught in the net of delusion the enemy has set for him; he fell into this trap because he has rejected the light, the truth that God offered him. He has, like Esau, valued power, position and prosperity above what is of eternal value.]
 
Psalm 10:14 “But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand.The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.”
 
[we can commit our feeble, helpless lives to you, O Lord, for you are our defender, our shield, our high tower, our salvation. You are the One who sees the fatherless, the widow, the helpless ones and will act on their behalf.]
 
Psalm 10:15 “Break the arm of the wicked and evil man; call him to account for his wickedness that would not be found out.”
 
[You, O Holy God, will act and judge evil, at the right time. Praise you for your great and powerful working! Help us to wait for your perfect timing.
 
As it says in Psalm 37:7-9, “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret–it leads only to evil. for those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.”
 
Help us to be still before you, Lord, to reject wrath and fretting, to rest in you, knowing that you will deal with evil. Help us to obey you in what we know to be right so we can be a light in your hand, shining grace and the gospel on those around us.]
 
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Psalm 10:1-11

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 17, 2015
Today we will begin looking at an example of “Lifting our souls to God.”
 
Psalm 10:1
“Why, O LORD, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?”
 
[So it seems many times. Here the psalmist is lifting his soul to you, Lord, pouring out his thoughts, feelings and desires, wondering why you seem to be doing nothing about the suffering of the weak. However we know from your Word and our experience that you are actually at work behind the scenes, setting things up, preparing to act, working in deep and effective ways. The psalmist goes on in his complaint about the wicked:]
 
10:2 “In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
who are caught in the schemes he devises.
10:3 He boasts of the cravings of his heart;
he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.”
 
[Sounds like current events.]
 
10:4 “In his pride the wicked does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God.”
 
[Brutal, selfish, proud, greedy and arrogant–this man does not think of God at all. Instead he bulls his way through life taking, getting, having his own way–while God seemingly does nothing.]
 
10:5 “His ways are always prosperous;
he is haughty and your laws are far from him;
he sneers at all his enemies.
10:6 He says to himself, ‘Nothing will shake me;
I’ll always be happy and never have trouble.’”
 
[However, in all his seeming success and strength, he is a deluded man, caught in the web of Satan’s lies while enjoying it—but only for a time, for you, O Lord, are prepared to act at the right moment, to bring him low, to bring justice.]
 
10:7 “His mouth is full of curses and lies and threats;
trouble and evil are under his tongue.
10:8 He lies in wait near the villages;
from ambush he murders the innocent,
watching in secret for his victims.
10:9 He lies in wait like a lion in cover;
he lies in wait to catch the helpless;
he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.
10:10 His victims are crushed, they collapse;
they fall under his strength.”
 
[As ever, the wicked prey on the weak, never on the strong. They are cowardly and utterly selfish. Their goal is power, domination, wealth, control and comfort—and they will find it temporarily.]
 
10:11 “He says to himself, ‘God has forgotten;
he covers his face and never sees.’”
 
[This is the utmost in arrogance, claiming that the all-seeing Creator, the all-knowing Sustainer isn’t aware of what is happening! This man’s concept of God is fatally flawed, being twisted, and much too small—he has made God in his own image—his world view is willfully devoid of truth. And he will pay for it.]
 
May we, Lord, be exactly the opposite of such a person; may we live in the light of your presence, rejoicing in Truth, reveling in Grace, submitting to Love. May we carry goodness, mercy, kindness and grace to the weak and weary. May you thereby be glorified in our lives today.]
 
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Incomprehensible But Knowable

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 16, 2015
Praise you, Lord God, King of the universe, Director of details, Lord of lavish love and the God of goodness. You are the Shepherd of my soul, my very personal and present Helper and my wise and wonderful Guide.
 
You are seated in the heavenlies, but, being infinite and a Spirit, are able to be with each of your children at every minute, giving us your full, warm and rich attention.
 
I praise you for how you are orchestrating the things that are beyond our control, while giving us the ability to make decisions within our realm of responsibility.
 
This delegation of decision within your sovereignty shows your greatness, wisdom and goodness. You did not make us as puppets but as people who can have a real and personal relationship with you, loving you out of choice, not because we are programmed to do so.
 
Your complexity is proof that you are God, beyond our comprehension, being one God with three persons! No human being could ever think up a God like you: incomprehensibly complex, great and good, perfect and powerful. You are full of love, forgiving and just, gracious and righteous, hate sin but love the sinner.
 
Truly, to you belongs all honor, glory and praise. May those flow from my life to yours today.
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